The Sour Far Thing
by evilace
Summary: In an alternate universe during a time of darkness; lived a young Princess whom no one loved but everyone cared for as if she where an inanimate object."I can hear the sound of approaching footsteps behind me.I have to keep running." AxC, alittle KxL.
1. Chapter 1

**The Sour Far Thing**

**In an alternate universe during a time of darkness; lived a young Princess whom no one loved but everyone cared for as if she where an inanimate object. She will have to be brave and learn for herself that there are people who love her, that the most powerful and silent might also be shy and lonely, and above all; that she is more important then she could have ever imagined.**

!!Cagalli's Point of View!!

I can hear the sound of approaching footsteps behind me.

I have to keep running.

There are more than one soldier I can be sure of that but I don't have time to even look back as I rounded the corner or the stone hallway, shouts of "there she goes", "keep after her" behind me.

If my Nanny saw me right now would she scold me for my improper attire? It was considered un-lady like to be running anywhere let alone wear nothing but a night dress and bare feet.

She would just have to forgive me. Since I was awaken from my sleep by the sounds of screaming and yelling. As I made my way to the window I had realized that the west wing of the castle was being stormed by soldiers and knights from the kingdom of Zaft. The red coated soldiers had forced their way through our weakened defences and where making their way into the inner wall and into the castle.

The cold breeze made its way through my wheaten hair that had grown longer over the years by my Father's wishes. My Father had played a major part in my life without even being there. I could almost count on my hands and feet the amount of times he had actually seen me.

In my almost 16 years I have been primped and polished to be the best prize a man could win. I knew that in my Father's eyes that's all I would be good for, a way to expand the kingdom. My Father had my older twin brother to guide and mould, that being all he ever wanted. Then there was me who could one day open lands for him through my union in marriage to one of the kings or future princes.

The first time I had met my brother Kira after birth was by accident when I was eight years old. From then on, I had seen him the same number of times I had seen my father. I do however, wish I saw Kira more, unlike my Father, Kira was kind and gentle. He was the type of man a king should be, not like my father who is a tyrant.

It saddens me to know that he never loved my mother and when she died she was happy to go peacefully into death knowing it would be better than her life. Not even the knowledge of her two healthy new born twins made her happy enough to keep on living.

I was afraid of Zaft knights because the Leader of the federation was a king as evil as my Father. King Patrick Zala.

My Father had hated him with a passion and would alley himself or takes over countries that surrounded Zaft's territory.

More and more broke through, mercilessly killing our Orb soldiers. They must be after the royals inside the castle. It is not a secret that this castle hosts many nobles so why not a princess. A spy must have got word out that I was here, there's nothing like a princess hostage to cause an even more passionate fight.

I turned from my window to do the only thing I know how to do when faced with an army of thousands intent on killing me, I ran. I knew this castle well as it is the Fall castle I'm sent to every year and as a child I had my share of hiding places and escape roots I had previously used.

It I am taken hostage by Zaft, my father would do very little to get me back; Kira would but my Father would look at my being killed as an opportunity. An opportunity to scream revenge for the people. Revenge for the "Innocence of the Princess", "Revenge for the Beautiful and kind princess Cagalli who loved her people and who cried when her people were killed and starved by the Kingdom of Zaft". He would have the people of Orb fight until I was avenged and he was the ruler of World.

I had no time to change as the soldiers moved faster throughout the castle and closer to my room. As I reached the end of the hall I almost stumbled over my maid in waiting.

She was crouched down and sobbing heavily into her knee's.

I remember the first day I met her, it was the third time I had ever seen my Father and brother. Father had come to a formal ball in the area and was on his way back to the main castle when he stopped in to inspect my process.

!!Flash back!!

"_Now, now, princess, let us see if we can't get all these knots out of your hair before the King arrives." Mana said as the brush passed over the end of my shoulder length golden hair. _

"_He doesn't like me in the least so why should it matter?" I said looking into the mirror. For a thirteen year old, my skin was perfect, free of blemishes. In my "perfection" as all the maids had put it, I was the most happy with the fact that my skin wasn't red and irritated with red blemished. It actually surprised me that it wasn't since it was caked in mud and dirt when I was younger. _

"_It should matter little missy, because if you don't meet your Father's expectations this time, the whole house hold will be punished." Mana had finished brushing and started to style it in all directions before she pulled up the side pieces of my hair and pinned them in place._

"_I will try not to disappoint anyone this time." I said in a flat tone. I have never really been loved by anyone and I don't expect to be in my life. _

"_You had better not; your spoiled life style has you thinking more of yourself and little of other." She places some flowers in my hair, the same white colour as my dress. _

_I really did care for my care takers but they had always seen me as someone who hated her life and who would try and run away even though I had the perfect life. _

"_I care for my people very much." I told her with more forcefulness than the last time. I wasn't allowed to leave but I would always try and help those who need it when they pass by and ask for my help. I would even send presents to the children at Christmas time and send servant's to the streets in winter to feed homeless or poor people. _

_In my opinion, it was just the overpaid house staff that wanted more money. _

"_There you are, done and just in the nick of time. Now Princess, I do hope you find your manners and act as you have been taught." Mana said standing me in front of her to look down sternly at me. She was a hefty Nanny I'll tell you that and she really knew how to crack a rod down on someone's back. _

"_Yes Mana, I will not let you down." I turned abruptly and walked with my head held high. Down the hall and to the left; down the stairs and stood before the door leading into the throne room._

_The guard acknowledged my presence and waited for my Nanny to arrive, being short, plum and old has its disadvantages. _

" _Thank you for waiting princess," Mana was out of breath and unimpressed with me at the moment "would you please announce the arrival of Princess Cagalli?" she said to the guard._

"_Yes ma'am." He said in a foreign accent and opened the door._

_After I was announced I made my way in with Mana and stood before my father who was seated in the throne room's high chair. My brother was standing beside him._

"_Maid, I would like to know how the princess is doing. Do you believe she will become a fine wife?" Nice. He doesn't even ask me._

"_Oh yes your Majesty, she is demur and is the essence of an obedient women." No I wasn't. _

"_Very good. I have arranged for her to have a maid in waiting so as she can be prepared even more for the time of her marriage." Oh no, not another stingy old women who will keep me captive._

"_Yes sir." Mana was almost thrilled with the news. It was then that I peeked to where Kira was sitting. My brother, I wish he would visit me more often. _

_He was looking at me the whole time and when he saw me look at him he gave me a warm smile._

_My head wiped back to my Father._

"_Your highness." I said though I had never actually talked to him before._

"_I would like to request my own choice of a maid in waiting." Hell if I was going to spend the rest of my life with only a maid in waiting as a confidant and I sure as hell would like a choice. Even if the request gets me a thrashing, it was worth a try. _

"_My princess seems to have a bold tongue." My Father said. Mana looked horrified and I felt a little sympathy for her._

"_I have already brought you one but if you don't want her I will have her put to death for not pleasing you, will you be able to live with that on your conscious?" Kira's smile disappeared and I knew my father was serious._

"_I will accept your Highness is too kind to have saved an innocent girl's life." I will never endanger anyone's life so long as it was only about me. _

"_Bring her in." All heads turned to the front door._

_It was then a young girl about the same age as I was brought in. She was dress all in black, as maids in waiting were always dressed. She had a very sweet face and lovely blue eyes but it was her pink hair that really held her beauty. _

"_This is Lacus, she will be your maid in waiting," my father rose from his chair with Kira in tow. My Father walked pass Lacus and looked down on her hair and then across to mine. "And servant," He said with his back turn, directing his comment to Mana, "I would like to see the princess with long hair the next time I return."_

"_Yes your highness." Mana said as he left but I was too busy looking at my new servant. And although she will forever be seen as a servant by my father I was defiantly going to be friends with her. I was never allowed to play with other children and other than Kira; I had never been in the same room as anyone the same age as me. _

_I walked straight up to her and stared at her bowed head. She looked like she was afraid of me._

"_Hello Lacus." I said in a cheerful voice and a smile adorning me lips. "You are officially my best friend." I said as I looped my arm around hers and lead her confused form up to my room._

_Mana's plum body trying to keep up. _

!!Back to the present!!

I had just stumble over Lacus and her head shot up as I said her name. Tears rolled down her face.

"Oh Cagalli!" She said embracing me, trembling so hard my vision started to shake with her.

"Lacus, we have to run, come with me, we can us some of the escape roots I found as a child." I pushed her off gently and took her hand.

"I'm so sorry." She said as I tried to pull her dead weight.

"Come on Lacus, if we don't move quickly we'll be captured." I was not going to get captured; I can fight these men without the disapproval of my maids.

"This is my entire fault, Cagalli you have to understand, I had no choice. My family, I just couldn't let them get hurt." Lacus had removed her hand from mine and covered her face in shame.

"Lacus?" What had she done?

"My family and I live in Zaft and they were going to kill us!" She looked at my face. "I'm so sorry!"

"Lacus, whatever you did I forgive you. I even commend you for saving your loved ones but right now isn't the time for these words. We HAVE to go, NOW!"

I put all my force into moving her and we ran. Down the halls through short cuts, in and out of doors.

"Do you here that?" I asked Lacus as I pressed my ear up against the stone wall.

"There on the other side of this wall." I said in shock and fear. Lacus was a mess; I realized that if she got caught she'd be killed, knowing too much information was bad.

"This way." I whispered.

We made it to my destination, a room with a high window that leads to the roof and down the back to a hill and through the stable. Then it's freedom. I thought this way would be best since the window was large enough for a sixteen year old to fit through. The other escaped where tested when I was ten and even then it was getting to be a tight fit.

The only downside to this particular escape was that the window was too high to reach without help. Kira helped me find it on our second meeting, one of the few times I got to be alone with him and the only time I got to 'play' with another kid.

"Lacus, listen to me. When you reach the edge of the roof where the hill leads down to the stable you have to get on a horse and ride it as fast as you can to the Capital city, remember Heliopolis?"

"Wait, your highness, what about you." I put her hands on my shoulders and grabbed her foot, hoisting her up to the window.

"You have to find Kira and tell him what happened." She was sitting on the window sill.

"You have to come too; here I'll pull you up." She lowered her trembling hand.

"They'll follow me if I go with you, and I'll have to make a distraction." I looked over my shoulder.

"Kira, loves you, you know. He'll be very upset if you get caught and they kill you. He'll protect you, now go."

I turned away from her and ran out the door.

"There she is!" A soldier called and the rest of the large group turned around to look.

It was then that the leader dressed in the finest of clothes; wearing the royal seal turned to looking at me.

I will never forget his stunning green eyes as I took off as fast as I could in the opposite direction.

**This is my attempt at another fanfic. Please review and tell me if it was any good or not. I also have another one to try out so I'll be putting that one up soon. Thank you for your patience and time.**

**Evilace**


	2. Chapter 2

The Sour Far Thing part 2

Cagalli's Point of View

I couldn't catch my breath and I wasn't gaining anymore distance on the pursuing soldiers.

Since I was young I would always have trouble breathing when it got too hot outside or when I would run too fast for too long. The doctor said that it might have been from ammonia I had as a child and not too worry too much about it though he did give me a serum that opens up my airway when I find myself gasping for air. My care said it was the delicacy of a woman to be faint hearted and not be able to breathe in times I feel over whelmed. That's just bloody dumb.

I believe that whatever I had was one of the reasons I had never been fully able to escape since I'd pass out every time I ran too fast and for too long away from my captors.

It was happening again as the green eyed man came into view. Why would he run after me? He was obviously the leader; why not send your men instead?

I was gasping for air but I knew if I stopped he would surely catch me in a matter of seconds; then I wouldn't be gasping at all, ever again!

I turned another corner and my vision became a sort of tunnel vision, very black around the edges.

I took another corner and collided into a knight of Zaft. His blue eyes stared into mine and he gripped the sides of my upper arms.

"So this is the Princess?" He said to the green eyed man who had caught up by that time.

"I suppose so." He said from behind me. My eyes began to roll as I was gasping even harder, my throat closing around the precious air I so desperately needed in my lungs.

"Don't you dare pass out on us; we don't really care for the scarred maiden fainting act." I was looking directly at him but I couldn't see anything anymore, just a blur.

"gasp,gasp...gasp"

"I don't think she can breathe!" The green eyed man said in a panic.

!!Athrun's Point of View!!

"Yzak give her to me, now!" Yzak handed her over roughly, still not falling for it.

I picked her up, her back arched in my arms as her breathing began to cut off completely. I turned to the closest door and ordered one of the men to open it. We were in the top level of the castle which was filled with bed rooms for royal guests so I of course opened the only room that had no bed at all in it, only chairs and closets, perhaps a dressing room?

I laid the girl on the floor and turned to Yzak who was realizing the severity of the situation.

"Men leave at once and inform Lord Zala that the princess was in fact residing in this castle and tell him to fetch a physician if he plans on using the princess in the future." Yzak sure had a way of putting things.

"Yes Captain." The soldiers yelled in unison.

"You two," Yzak pointed to two soldiers who were on their way to inform the King, "stand guard and make sure nobody enters."

"Yes sir." They said suspiciously as Yzak and I were left alone in a room with a young girl.

The princess was still holding onto consciousness when Yzak came up to us; I had been kneeling beside her as she lie flat of her back gasping pathetically for air. Her hand had never let go of the shirt under my armour as she tugged and grasped at it, fighting for air.

"Athrun, I don't know what to do." Neither do I.

"Princess, you must stop this now. You are not getting anywhere by this act." I thought I should at least try the obvious.

Her eyes darted over to me as if trying to say something. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Suddenly her mouth stayed open and no more sounds of gasping came out of it. The grip of my shirt loosed and her eyes shut and face relaxed.

"Athrun...did she just stop breathing?" Yzak's eyes were wide with realization as I reached down to prop her up.

"Princess, wake up, breath damn it!" I said as I started to rub her back and then her throat. Her attire was improper and brought thoughts to my head of how lovely she looked but I couldn't dwell on that at the moment (thought I suppose anyone woken in the middle of the night would be dress in such a way).

"This isn't working." Yzak said as he stood up and started to pace the room. "Your Father is going to be furious about this."

"I know...come on breath." I tried to blow air into her lungs but as hard as I tried, the air wouldn't go into her throat, it would just escape out of the corners of her mouth.

"With her, we can strike a blow to King Hibiki's ego and use her as a bargaining chip, but if she dies, the whole country of Orb is going to want revenge." Yzak was pacing out of the corner of my eye.

I was still concentrating on the Princess. She's been out for thirty seconds, and her face was paler than it had been already.

There were a couple of knocks on the door and a soldier opened it bringing in an elderly looking women.

"This woman is of Orb and claims to know how to help the Princess." The women stood tall with dignity in her eyes as she trembled slightly.

"Speak." I said to the women who looked defiantly at me.

"I am a nurse maid of the Princess and I know of her ailment." She paused for my response.

"AND...well ? Come on what do we do?" We didn't have all day.

"Her throat closes up when she runs. I have the serum which is to be administered to her but I see it is too late." The woman didn't seem too emotionally attached to this girl.

"Give it to me." I said to the woman.

"I thought that the princess was only captured and I was going to advise her to commit suicide lest she becomes a tainted wretch to be used against the country of Orb. I see know that she has become tainted and is no longer a threat to Orb, there is no longer a need to save her un-innocent body."

This woman must have thought that from her attire I had my way with the unconscious princess who I was trying to save.

One minute had gone by and this woman had wasted 20 seconds of it.

"Guards search her and then search the princess's room, see if you can find the serum. Report back to me with it or I'll have your heads just as I will have this women's head for her uselessness." I said as the women trembled and began to sob.

A guard had reached into her apron but the woman turned away and pulled out a bottle.

"PLEASE SIR, your grace, this is the serum, forgive me and spare a poor maid." She pleaded as she dropped down to the floor and pleaded holding the bottle in between her hands.

The guard behind her took the bottle without haste and placed it in my hands.

"Woman, how much do I give." I had already had the princess propped up in my arms with her head leaning against my chest when the amount of 5 drops was told to me by the old women.

I placed my fingers under the princess's chin and tilted her head back as I dropped the serum droplets into the back of her throat.

"Take the woman away and hold her until I decide how to deal with her. The rest of you leave this room."

The room was cleared and Yzak said that he wanted to inform the King himself of the problems (he didn't have to leave as the order was given to inferior officers and Yzak was higher up on the officer sale, though I was higher than him, he knew I meant for him to stay).

I sat there alone with a beautiful young girl in my arms I didn't know what else to do. The serum wasn't doing much as her skin stayed the same pale colour and no signs of life came from her still body.

I know she'll never forgive me but I placed my hand over her chest and felt the faint beating of a heart. The thin material of her night gown was not opaque enough to see anything but placing my hand into the top of it made me think about her attire all over again.

I bent over and started to breath into her mouth again, hoping her throat wasn't as tight as before. And with one breath the air went straight into her lungs and she gasped, bringing in more air on her own.

Again and again until the colour came back to her skin and heat came back to her body. I placed her back on the floor and took a blanket off a chair nearby. Placing it over her unconscious BUT breathing body, I left the room.

"I order you to guard this room. NO ONE is to enter but my Father and myself, kill whomever else. Also do not let her out of this room; if she does escape it will be you who dies."

Knowing that she's captured and alive I must inform my father and discuss future plans.

!!Cagalli's point of view!!

The air made its way into my awaiting lungs. My throat has let its hold off and I could breathe freely with only the slight bitter taste of the serum left in my mouth.

I was still cold though I had felt warmth is my back and near my heart.

My eyes fluttered open and I sat up with difficulty. My throat was sore and my body felt so weak but I couldn't think about that right now. I know that Zaft had just broken through Orb borders and has taken this castle. That Green eyed man and his soldiers knew who I was and had gone through enough trouble to save me; I must me a very important piece of their puzzle.

I used my forearms to pull myself across the carpet and across the room to a small cupboard underneath a large wardrobe. Not many people knew it was even there since it looked like it didn't open. I slide my body into the space which was plenty for me and closed the sliding door.

I felt somewhat safer though my heart was racing a mile a second for I knew this would anger whoever saved me but I also knew that they were going to use me for their own gain so I had no choice. If you can't run you hide.

The door to the room opened and I could here two sets of feet entered the room.

"What the..? Where did she go?" That sounded like the man with blue eyes, whom I ran into.

"She can't have gotten too far, she's too weak right know." Said another voice whom I recognised as the green eyed mans' which was more calm and careful.

"Guards, did you open this door for anything?" The blue eyed man asked.

"Sir, there was a change in guards sir; I have not been here the whole time." The guard announced.

"We've only been gone for a total of 20 minutes, I'm sure if she escaped, like I said before, she wouldn't have gotten far, as for the guards, check to make sure they don't know where she is," two heavy armoured boots sounded down the hall so I assume the guards did that, "Yzak why don't you search the hall, I'll look around the room, she's probably scared," I was terrified, "so don't do anything that will startle her, and I'll search in here. Either she's running again or she's hiding."

Yzak left the room.

Oh no, he's going to find me. My hiding place is good but my heart's beating like a drum as his footsteps are getting closer and closer as he opens closets and searched through the wardrobes.

His approach was quick as me tore through the wardrobe above me.

Then he suddenly stopped. I couldn't breathe but it wasn't like before when my body wouldn't let me.

I heard some rustling and then he was right in my ear.

"I know your there Princess." He hadn't even opened the door and he knew I was there. I couldn't breathe again, but this time is was more of a panic attack.

"I'm not going to hurt you so please don't stop breathing again." I whimpered slightly because his words were lies.

"I'm going to open the door now." I was sitting in a maiden pose with my legs together and slightly tucked under my butt. My arms were wrapped around my tarsal and I was hiding my face in the opposite direction when he opened the door.

I could feel the tears slide down my cheeks and I tried to back even further into the space in some small attempt to get further away.

I finally peeked at him when his hands came in and he placed one gently under my elbow and another around to my other shoulder in order to pull me out of my hiding place. The tears became a stream running down my face but I was silent as he stood me up.

With both of his hands around my upper arms, he steadied me from falling over. My legs were slowly buckling underneath me and I was beginning to fall again.

The man caught me in his arms before I fell and lifted me under my legs and under my arms; I was leaning into his chest. My face by then must have been bright red cause I had never been picked up by a man before and I certainly did not know who this one was or his intentions. This thought brought my mind back to the fact I was improperly dresses but instead of blushing even more, the tears in my eyes intensified as I started to sob.

I felt so weak, I couldn't even stand and now I was going to have to be paraded in front of people who despised my Father and am made a laughing stock because it was done wearing only my night gown.

Someone else came into the room and I couldn't help but hide my face in the shirt the green eyed man was wearing.

"So she was hiding?"

"Yzak, leave." The green eyed man said with no emotion to the man at the door.

"Yes _sir." _He said with just a hint of sarcasm.

With Yzak's exit, the man set me down on a sofa nearby and kneeled down so he was looking directly at my face.

"You are Princess Cagalli Hibiki and I am Sir Athrun Zala. I thought you'd like to know who I am before...well never mind for now. If you don't want to be carried around in front of men you don't know in your night gown, I suggest you cooperate with me."

I nodded as I dried the tears in my eyes.

"We are in a dressing room aren't we? If you tell me which dress you want, then I'll get it for you. I will even leave the room and let you change into it but I will expect for you to not try anything anymore."

He looked into my eyes but I looked away from his.

"So which one will it be?" I pointed to the wardrobe I was hiding under and he walked over to in and opened it.

I remembered a dark blue dress I had in there that was made of a light material and was suppose to be the newest fashion. It was less troublesome then most of my dresses so I had might as well wear it one last time.

Athrun, which sounded better than the green eyed man took out the blue dress I had pointed to since most of the other garments were coats.

He did as he said he would and left the room while I changed and found some underclothes I had in another drawer but was not about to let him get them for me. I finished up with my hair which I combed through and left down.

Being the guest wing floor of the castle I only had a few select clothes in this room, mostly new stuff being stored so I wouldn't try to get rid of it before I had to wear it, so I realised that I had no shoes in here.

I opened the door and peeked out to a view of Athrun's back though he turned around when he heard the door open. I in turn closed the door slightly in fear.

"Are you done?" He asked.

I opened the door fully but when I looked at his face he had an expression I didn't really recognise, but changed it back to normal before I could evaluate the meaning behind it.

I was going to ask about some shoes but the dress covered my feet and I felt too weak to talk. I was leaning against the side of the door when Athrun came up to me.

"Would you like me to carry you? You don't seem to have any strength left after what happened today."

I really don't want to be carried but I see no other option since I was about to collapse.

"Plus you have no shoes on, after running all morning your feet must be sore." He made his way over to me and picked me up again.

"I'm sorry but I must take you to King Zala now, he would like to have a word with you but don't be too worried, he doesn't plan on killing you."

"He didn't care about killing the people of my castle when you stormed it so why would it matter if he killed me as well." I said finding my week little voice, making it as loud as I could but utterly failing at it.

"So you do speak." He said looking down at my face as he kept walking to the throne room.

The rest of the walk was silent as I began to nod off in his arms. The whole trip was only minutes but in that time I had fallen asleep only to be woken again when we arrived at the throne room entrance. I could see the blood smears on the floor and door way as Athrun placed my feet on the floor.

"I can't carry you in so you have to walk the rest of the way. I'm sorry, you can go back to sleep after."

The doors opened up and Athrun placed his hand on my back, guiding me in past the blood on the walls and to the chair on which my father sat but was now used by another tyrant, this King Zala.

"Ah Athrun, you've sure taken your time bringing her to me." The Kings dead looking eyes scanned over me as a sneer adorned his lips.

"I apologies for our delay Father." Athrun bowed his head and I realised from before that they shared the same last name though in my opinion, looked nothing alike.

The King left the chair and marched towards me. I could feel my body sway in the other direction, trying it's hardest to move away from this approaching predator. He examined me with his eyes, circling me before he stopped and cupped my cheek, turning my head to look into his eyes.

" 'An angel sent to earth so that all men could curse god for she will never be theirs' or so that is what's said about you though after seeing you, I would have to agree entirely." He moved away from me and back to sit on his newly acquired chair.

"However, the part I don't agree with is the 'she will never be yours' part." I shuddered as he continued. "Don't look so worried my princess, for I already have a wife though I would trade for you any

day." Athrun didn't move at all or react to this comment though I could almost feel the anger radiating form him.

"So I was thinking, what better way to us a princess of a warring country than to make her a part of my family therefore wounding the pride of a man who feels he is invincible."

He turned to Athrun.

"You already accepted this proposal and I see no reason why you can't have her, the wedding we be held tomorrow so take her to her room and post at least twenty guards on her floor to insure she doesn't escape."

The tears had already been making there way down my cheek again when I felt Athrun's hand move to my back and starting to guide me away.

"Make sure your prepared tomorrow, a women will be sent up early to help you with your preparations Princess." And with that Athrun lead me out of the room.

When we were out I fell to the floor and felt a wave if nausea come over me though I did not through up. I was going to be married and to someone my family would shun me for. I didn't even know Athrun, for all I know his kindness will fade away and he'll eventually forget about me, taking on plenty of mistresses.

"Here, I'll take you back to your room." He bent down to pick me up but I turned away from him.

"Don't touch me." I said finding the last bit of my energy to stand up and shakily walk up the stairs. He respected my wish but followed closely behind me so I wouldn't fall.

I made it to my room and didn't even close the door knowing that I no longer had any privacy. I crawled into my bed as started to cry myself to sleep, small sobs wracked my fragile body as I heard the green eyed man talk from the doorway.

"I'm so sorry Cagalli." He said before he closed it all the way and my energy was zapped completely from my body, sending me into a dead sleep.

! The next morning!

I was awoken earlier than usual, just as the sun was rising but noises coming from outside. I felt the effects of the events of late last night as my throat ached and my body felt stiffer than a chair.

I rolled to the edge of the bed and tossed my legs over the side, exciting towards the window were the noise was coming from. The walls of the castle were now lined with soldiers I did not recognise and more soldiers walked around the court yards in greater numbers than I had ever seen before, proof that this was new territory for the King of Zaft and that an attack or attempt of recapture could occur at any time.

It was not the silent march of the soldiers that woke me but the morning exercise that was taking place below my room.

Athrun, if my memory from last night is accurate at all, was sparring with the Yzak (I think that's his name). There were two other men standing around watching and ready to spare as well. One man had blond hair and tanned skin, the other was slightly younger than the other man, perhaps only two years older than me, with green hair that seemed to make him stand all the more out.

Athrun seemed to move very fluidly and Yzak quickly became frustrated with his inability to catch up with Athrun's movements. Once in a while Yzak would catch up and I'd almost gasp when they got to close to each other. Though I have seen this type of thing before, I had never seen it with such skill.

Watching them spare, it gave me even less hope of my escape. If the events from yesterday have taught anyone anything is that I couldn't run, I sucked at hiding and from the skill I'm seeing now, there is no possible way I could fight my way out. I always hated the girls in the fairy tales that never fought their destiny and enjoyed their lives serving there Prince charming. Now I realise something about them, they never really had a chance at anything else.

My story could easily be turned into a fairy tale depending on who tells it, the story could have a very heroic knight rescuing the pathetic princess from her evil Father, whisking her away to his kingdom far away, never to be troubled by anymore trivial matters of life again.

In my thoughts I had began to peer off into the sunrise and stare blankly at the clouds. My mouth felt very heavy with frown lines but I hid them in my arms as I folded them on the window ledge and rested my head atop of them.

I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't realised that the sparring match was over and when I looked down a familiar pair of greens eyes were looking back at me. He looked very handsome standing there in his loose shirt that I instantly blushed for being caught in the act of catching his eye and inwardly for staring at him and finding him handsome. I jumped away from my window as fast as I could, feeling my stiffened joints complaining with the instant movement.

!!Athrun's Point of View!!

The match had ended with my undisputed victory and I was momentarily distracted from the thoughts of last night and the plans of this afternoon.

I was to be married though it didn't really surprise me. My Father had been telling me about his plans for a while and I knew that whoever my Father chooses for me, she would be miserable just as my mother is.

I don't want to be as my father is; I just hope I can make her happy.

I looked up to the sun rise in hopes of figuring out what time it might be by how much the sun has risen already but before I could do that I looked to the castle, where my exhausted bride slept just through the window, only to find the window occupied.

She looked so sad, I watched her for a while as the wind caught bits and pieces of her long hair. She had unparalleled beauty and it would go to waste when she'll be locked up in the Zala Castle. In a moment she seemed to come to the realization of something and look down to where I was standing. Had she been watching the sparring match and realise that it was over?

Colour washed over her cheeks as she starred back at me and then disappeared back into her room.

A blushing bride she will truly be.

!!

I was going to cut this chapter in half but then I didn't feel like it. Plus I've been writing a lot as a calmer downer after class, h/w, studying, eating, social stuff, talking on msn with friends. I barely have time for TV any more and my roommate is literally right across from me so watching anime on the computer is kind of not the quietest thing to do(even though I've only thought of it twice in the past two weeks since I've been too busy to even do that). Any ways what do you think? Really, you can tell me! Please review!

Evilace.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Sour Far Thing Part 3**

**Cagalli's point of view**

I changed into a simple dress that had less bulk than my other dresses and a flat shoe that was comfortable. Since it was early morning and my wedding wasn't till this afternoon, it didn't really matter what I wear till then.

I was planning on something that was about to get me into trouble but not killed, I hope.

I approached the door of my room, knowing that the guards were just on the other side of the door. I wasn't to leave my room for any reason other than wedding preparations but I wanted to go outside, just a little into the woods was a small gazebo and I wanted to sit there one last time.

I opened the door and stood directly before the guards.

"I wish to meet with the seamstress now." I told them without looking at any of them in particular, just straight ahead.

"We were told that the wedding wasn't till later and that you are not to leave your room." The one to my left said but I was of course prepared for that answer.

"The seamstress, to my understanding was sent to the room just at the end of the hall and that she will get terribly crossed if I am late." Please work.

"It's too early for your preparation." He said before taking a step forward to move me back into the room.

"Are you presuming that it does not take time to get ready for such an event? I demand to speak with the seamstress at once to inform her that you think her work an utter waste of time and that it should take mere minutes to prepare for a royal wedding." I said in a raised voice that seemed to have made them question themselves though it didn't exactly scare them as I intended it to.

"Fine, it's just down the hall. Take her and if she's wrong bring her back." The guard said to the other one, testing my reaction.

"If you're wrong little princess," the other one said to me, "then we'll be sure Prince Athrun hears of it, he's fair but just so he won't tolerate your treachery." That's nice to know about a future husband, fair but just, though it could also mean that one little mistake and he'll practically hang me. Well we'll find out if this plan works.

The soldier led me to the room I told him.

It had to be this one in particular because it had a secret to it. It was actually two rooms connected by a single door in the center of the wall. The great part about the second room is that if the window was open it created a vacuum within the room.

This is how it happened or I guess you can say how I escaped.

The soldier knocked on the door and no one answer as he opened it I put ALL my weight into tipping him over and ran into the room. I heard his yell of protest but quickly entered the second room making sure to slam the door so that he heard it and knew where I was going.

This is where the ingenious trickery began. I checked to see if the window was open, which it was and opened the door that leads into the hall just a tiny bit. By then almost all the guards where racing towards the first room to recapture me.

When I was done, I hid behind a sofa in the second room. As the first guard opened the door connecting the rooms, the air became displaced and the second room's door slammed shut.

"She went into the hall again." The guard called and raced through the door that just slammed shut followed by ten or so other men.

The rest of the hall ran with the rest of the men in chase behind the first ten.

"hehe, too easy." I said quietly though I had to move quickly before they realised they were chasing no one.

I peered out the door and went across the hall to the set of stair that the servants used, taking them all the way down to the ground level. I then used another couple hallways used by servants to come out just before the forest.

I heard the sounds of rushed men all over the castle as they yelled back in forth trying to locate me I presume. I reached my destination and sat inside the flower covered gazebo.

This little victory was going to my head. I had already made it to the forest, I could run away, and then I wouldn't have to married that Prince of Zaft though he has been very kind to me so far. Come to think of it, if I ran away back to Orb I'd probably just have to married another whom I don't love and would probably just leave me alone all day as he did as he wished, only to come to me at night to use me.

If I had a horse I would ride it away from both lands.

But I don't have a horse and no hope of escape further than the point I'm at right know. From the skill I saw this morning, it would take those four knights only a couple minutes to find me. Till them I'll just enjoy the time I have outside.

The flowers were beautiful and the green trees only had a hint of fall colour on them, but not enough to notice if you weren't looking. Though the sounds of the castle drowned out most of the sounds of nature, you could still hear the birds flying around, no doubt excited about their upcoming migration south.

The sound of crunching branches and leaves brought me back to reality as Athrun came huffing into the clearing. He didn't look too impressed as I stood up surprised from my seat. Out of all the people who could find me, it had to be him.

His eyes narrowed at me as he let out a final huff and took to a fast pace towards where I was standing.

His expression scarred me more than I ever would have thought and I suddenly backed out of the gazebo, and made a dash to get further into the forest. Was I running again?

"Don't even try it." He said in my ear, making me shake with fear, he was closer than I thought. His hand wrapped around my upper arm, causing me pain.

"I wasn't trying to run, I promise." I said withering under his strength.

"Why should I believe you, it sure looks like you are; you've done it before." My head turned away from him and I put some resistance to his grasp.

"Let me go! If I say I'm not trying to run away then I'm not. I'm bad at lying, you can always see right through it." In a final attempt to get him to let go, I used all my weight; slipping I fell to the ground, my long hair slide past my shoulders as it joined my bangs in hiding my face.

I could feel the tears but I couldn't stop them. "I just wanted to come outside." I said in a shaky voice.

"I don't know how to deal with you." He said letting my arm fall down to where I was sitting. I made no attempt to get up.

"I know how to punish men, dogs and horses, but I've never had to deal with punishing women. Why aren't you compliant like the rest?" I didn't want to look him in the eye, just in case he decided to give me a boot in the side like I've seen some men deal with their horses.

"If you were a man I would have you put in the stockades for a day, a dog would be tied up outside without water, a horse would get tied as well. A woman, who is what you're supposed to act like, would listen to the man and we wouldn't have this problem. Perhaps a child then, beaten with a rod?" Snap, I could hear the sound of my last nerve break, leaving all the fear I had behind along with my patience.

I stood up and looked him straight in his surprised eyes.

"Beaten? You would just beat me? What about you? You have come into a land in which you do not own and kidnapped me! You have taking away everything from me and you don't think you shouldn't be punished? You coward! Go ahead beat me; I can't possibly stop you so go ahead. DO IT!"

At least I'd look nice and ugly at OUR wedding. I really hope he does it so long that I lose consciousness and don't actually have to attend the wedding.

Then with one simple step forward, Athrun broke my resolve and the years of training told me that I had done what a woman should never do, disobey.

With every step he took forward I took a step back until he caught up with me.

"You're right," He said holding my upper arm again but not as tightly as before. "You can't tell a lie. Your eyes aren't capable of hiding them."

I was staring into his eyes searching for his true intentions.

"Come with me now Princess. You've caused enough problems with this little stunt." He didn't let go of my arm as I was brought back to the castle. He wasn't ruff with me but he did make sure I wasn't going anywhere else.

Before we reached the gate that leads into the castle I stopped bringing Athrun to a stop as well.

"Please stop that, it hurts." I said looking at him and them to my arm with his hand around it.

"I'm not hurting you, it's not even tight." He said looking into my eyes.

"Not now but...it'll get tighter..." I just couldn't look into his eyes anymore, he wouldn't understand that I meant in the future, he'd get tired of my little rebellious ways and then he'll really hurt me. Just as long as I learn the lesson and my place, he wouldn't care if I was happy or sad.

"Whatever makes you happy." I looked back up to his face so that I could see his dry humour but instead he seemed sincere. He dropped my arm and waited for me to start walking, which I did. I wasn't about to test my luck by saying 'why you first'.

"Well looky, looky." Said a blond haired man whom I recognised from the early morning spar, beside him was the green haired man and Yzak. "Athrun has found his little runaway bride; now tell us all how you capture her."

"Don't start Dearka." He stood a little in front of me as if shielding me from there verbal fight.

"No, no really, I want to know how the Great Prince Athrun recaptured a runaway princess who weighs half the amount he is, and who couldn't run or fight her way out of a paper bag." Dearka was about to go on but Yzak had to get his say into it.

"What I want to know is how he did all that and still let her tell him a thing or two about how to bring her back to her prism." Obviously they heard me tell Athrun to let me go.

"Athrun can do whatever he wants, even be nice to his future wife." The green haired man tried to stand up for Athrun but it only helped the other two.

"Oh yeah Yzak, he wouldn't want to bruise her pretty skin before their wedding night." Wedding Night?

I looked up at Athrun, into the back of his head. It hadn't actually occurred to me what I would have to do tonight. Suddenly my stomach was in knots.

"Well isn't this nice chatter." All heads turned and everyone including me, dropped down on their knees though I was technically pulled down.

The King had arrived and wasn't the least bit amused. He continued to march up to our little group and reached down, lifting me up by my hair.

The sound that came out of my mouth was a half whimper and a 'no' sound as I was pulled up and then dragged back in the direction the King came from. He didn't once loose his hold though I protested the whole time.

"Father?" Athrun asked as he was right on our heels. "Is that really necessary?"

"One day when you become a _well respected_ man," the king said focusing on the 'well respected' part, "then maybe I won't have to correct your mistakes or fix your problems."

Athrun was at a loss for words and seemed ashamed of his own behaviour. I thought that he was one of the only descent men I've met so far and I'm not just talking about the past couple of days, I mean my whole life. There was Kira, and a few others here and there but I'd have to rank Athrun as one of the men I've met who has been quite descent to me.

"I will try harder father." Athrun said finally.

Patrick Zala took a calculating look at me and then to his son. He threw me down on the hard floor just before the castle entrance, right in front of a line of guards and the three men Athrun was talking to before.

"Here's your chance, show your future wife her place." I really wanted to yell at that man but that would bring even more disgrace to Athrun, having a women stand up for him, and not just any women, a sixteen year old one. Athrun himself must be around twenty, I would only show his father that he was right if I stood up for Athrun.

I didn't look up at Athrun since I was scared and didn't know what he was going to do to me, maybe if I did look up he would feel guilty and not do it. I kept my eyes down.

I heard Athrun unsheathe his sword and I instantly whipped my eyes towards him. Was he going to slice me up? Raw terror hit me and I felt like I was going to pass out. He raised his sword sheathe over his head and I then realized he meant to hit me with it.

Instinctively I raised my hands but it had already made contact with my back. I slumped over as the wind left my lungs in an instant and the pain of the welt on my back. He did it again and again. I cried each time he did it till the sword was returned back to its sheath.

"Guards please escort the princess to the dressing room as her seamstress has arrived. Be sure she doesn't escape this time or it will be your heads." Athrun commanded sounding more like his father.

"Yes sir." Rang through the guard and I could tell, even though I didn't see his face, that the King was smiling a proud smile.

**!!**

"It's your own fault you know." I was getting hounded by the Zala Royal seamstress as she dabbed my black, blue, and red back with a cold cloth.

"You had to go and try to escape," she mumbled on as she finished freezing my back with cold water preventing it from swelling. "I guess I'll have to put powder on your back, good thing your skin is so pale." She commented as she smeared on a powdery paste. It dried quickly and she moved over to where her material lied.

She leafed through the stack of different coloured fabrics before stopping on a silvery white colour and started making me a dress.

"I guess we'll have to make it so your back isn't showing." She commented as she made a dangerously low 'v' neck on the front of the dress. (evilace: I'm not going to describe the dress cause whenever someone else writes about how Cagalli looks like in clothes I kind of make up my own clothes if I don't like what they dress her in. Just picture her in a REALLY pretty dress and hair is amazing as well.)

I had a hot cloth on my eyes and then a cool one and then another hot one as I reduced the swelling in my eyes from crying. My back was causing me tremendous pain. Then I kept crying afterwards because I felt so trapped and that if I did anything else wrong Athrun will have to correct me in the same manner as he did today.

What about tonight, what will he do to me when we're alone.

**!!**

"We are gathered here today to join these two people in holy..."

I wasn't listening as I stood there in front of a small group of people I didn't know, a priest, the King and Athrun.

In total there was about 30 or so people so I was really questioning the whole do-up of me. The ceremony looked pathetic and the only point was to make the husband and wife deal official. I think the dress idea was more or less for Athrun but at the moment he wasn't looking at me. When he saw me coming down the aisle he looked amazed and guilty at the same time. When the I do's came around he finally focused his eyes on mind.

"I do." He said.

When it was my turn I said nothing as, "She does" came from the King.

"I know pronounce you Husband and Wife. May you be blessed with respect (looks at Athrun) and obedience (looks at me). And plenty of sons."

The room cleared and I stood where I was standing the whole time, Athrun looking down on me till it was only the King, the priest and us in the throne room.

"Tomorrow we'll send her to live with your Mother at the castle in Zaft so make use of this night Athrun; you might not get to use her for a while." And with that the King and priest left the room.

Leaving Athrun and I standing there in silence.

**!!**

**OK so I wrote this a couple days ago and I JUST edited it though I'm supposed to be studying right now. I'm going home for the weekend meaning that I wouldn't have been able to put this up for three more days so I thought I'd just do it tonight. Please review and tell me what you think! Thank you for the comments you've already made, they REALLY brighten up my day, I mean it.**

**evilace**


	4. Chapter 4

The sour far thing part 4

!!Cagalli's Point of view!!

He wasn't careful at all when he threw me up against the closest surface he could find. He attacked my neck in rough kissed and bites as he held me against my bedroom wall. My back ached and burned as he pulled my rigid body towards his and then slammed us back into the wall. I whimpered.

"It's your own fault." He said before continuing his greedy pursuit, sliding the fabric on one of my shoulders down so that he could move his way to my collar bone.

I pulled my arms up to my chest to keep the rest of my dress up. I was shaking as he stopped what he was doing and turned away from me.

"Stop crying." He said only turning his face around so that his profile was yelling at me.

A sob racked my body as I realised that tears were streaming down my face. "I'm sorry." My voice was as shaky as I felt. "Please forgive me Sir." I added to make him feel like me won something and stop him from being even more abusive than he was already being.

"Mocking me won't win you any favour." He said now fully turned towards me.

"I wasn't, just don't be mad." I finally said hoping he wouldn't take that the wrong way as I slide done the wall curling my legs to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.

Athrun paled as he looked at the wall I just slide down.

My back welts had split open as Athrun slammed me into the wall so the blood had soaked through the dress and then on the wall I just slid down.

I could hear Athrun's clothes rustle as he slowly crouched down in front of me. He was deep in thought for a couple of minutes before I looked up over my arms to find him contemplating what he should do. He had a hand hovering around the shoulder that still had material on it, trying to decide if touching me in an attempt of comforting was wise or not.

He pulled his hand back when he caught me looking at him. He took a deep breath.

"What will you have me do? I can't please both my father and you at the same time." Like I have a choice of whom I'm supposed to please.

"Will you let me bandage your back? It looks like it hurts." He finally said, reaching for me gently and lifting me from the floor.

I suspected that he would escort me to the bathroom attached to my room and then call for a servant or maid to help me but he didn't. He got me into the bath tub and prepared the basin of water and bandages himself.

"Take off your dress." He said kneeling down over the tub.

"It's ok, you can leave know, and I can do it." I said turning away and pressing my back towards the cold porcelain.

"How can you do it when you can't see your back?" He said leaning more towards me. "Besides it's me who gave you those, I should fix them." He looked down at his hand as he said the last part.

"It was your Father who gave me them." I told him in a small voice so as to not sound like I was challenging him in any way or trying to stand up to him. It may have been his Father that made him do it but it was Athrun behind the weapon.

"But I gave you those on my own." He said looking at the fresh bite marks he left while he was sucking on my neck and collar bone. I pulled my hair over my shoulder so I could hide the fresh marks and embarrassing red colour on my skin.

"So hurry up and take off that dress. I want to clean your wounds before you get an infection." He reached for the sleeve he hadn't pulled off my shoulder. Slowly the back of my dress came down and I pulled the front part of my dress as much as I could around my chest, my hair helped hide the red on my cheeks.

I yelped as I felt water being poured down my back and pooling around my feet. The white paste that was places on my back melted away along with the blood that was beginning to cake on my skin. It revealing very inflamed patches where the sword sheath dug into my skin; obviously the rest was turning black and blue. I only saw my back for a second as I peeked over my shoulder when I heard Athrun gasp.

"If you would call a maid, I'm sure she would put more paste on my back so that you can finish with me before you go to bed." I told him looking ahead at the white porcelain, though I suspected that the sight of my back would put him off and I hoped it would. I'm too afraid to be alone with him tonight.

I felt his hand on my back as it gently began to remove more of the paste and blood before he moved to get a towel and drape it over my back. Moving his hands under my elbows I was signalled to stand and I shakily did as he wanted though I still had a firm grip on the material gathered around my chest.

"I'll just turn around and give you a minute to dry off, just don't dry your back I can do that. Also, do you have a night gown that is very light or perhaps doesn't have a back to it?" He asked moving out of the room and towards my wardrobe.

"I do have light night gowns but none that are backless." I told his as I trailed his footsteps to the wardrobe and kneeled down to a drawer at the bottom. At least I had intended to kneel but I ended up more or less falling to my knees; I felt so hot, I think I have a fever.

Athrun didn't catch it though and I kept going with the motions of retrieving my gown. Finding it, I held it in my hands and waited for further instructions.

"Is that it?" Athrun said bending down to join me on the floor.

I nodded and waited for him to leave so I could change.

!!

Lying on my stomach, I waited for Athrun to finish with my bandages. My back felt a hundred times better with the cooling salve Athrun rubbed into it. I felt him pull up the back of my night gown, signalling that he was done.

Though my back was cool, the rest of my body was burning up, especially my head. I didn't open my eyes or move an inch when Athrun blew out the candles. I could tell it was darker and I could tell that Athrun was removing most of his clothes.

The weight on the bed shifted as Athrun slide under the covers beside me. He pulled up the covers and placed them gently over my shoulders and snuggled into them himself.

My eyes where closed but I could tell by the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach that me was looking at my face. My suspicions were confirmed as I felt a hand brush again my face, and tuck some of my hair behind my ear. His hand came back a second time to trace my lips and then go to my forehead.

Fighting the pulled of sleep on my eyes, I opened them with difficulty to stare into the most beautiful green eyes I've ever seen. They were the type of green that shown with kindness and a good heart.

"You should sleep, you have a fever." Athrun said in a whisper that took me by surprise. His voice was so gentle; I had never heard it like that before that I opened my eyes even wider in shock.

"We have a long day tomorrow and you'll have to travel a great distance away. I'm sorry about the abrupt departure but when you arrive at the castle you'll get to meet my Mother." Athrun said with a little smile on his face at the end.

"That's the first time I think I've seen you smile." I told him, looking at his mouth as it turned back into a line when he realised what I'd meant.

"I'm not as bad as I seem." He said though he thought about how it sounded.

"Listen, I know I have no right to expect anything from you so I will never ask for your forgiveness for what I've done to you or what I will be doing to you in the future." He was trying to explain himself and failing miserably at it, he was only scarring me and he knew it.

"I've told you before that I will try to make you happy as much as I can, so I hope you'll accept this and try to not fight me anymore on anything... is that clear." He was trying to do two things at once.

He wanted me to be happy but he wants me to be happy the way he sees fit?

I closed my eyes again and turned my head to face the comparatively ugly wall. Athrun shuffled the sheets and faced the other wall.

"You shouldn't try to be so difficult my wife." He said in an angered tone.

!!

Morning came and so did the uncomfortable feeling of my back healing and my sudden movements, breaking open the fresh skin.

I stifled a cry of pain as I pushed myself into a kneeling position on the bed, I looked over to the spot where Athrun was sleeping and found it empty. I wasn't expecting anything but I was hoping he be there since it was very early in the morning judging by the suns non-progression in the sky.

I slowly slide over to the edge of the bed and dangled my feet off in search of my slippers when he spoke up.

"You should stay where you are." Athrun said from the chair he was sitting at. In my shock I slipped off the rest of the bed and with a yelp, landed on my butt.

Athrun walked quickly from the chair in front of my vanity mirror and helped me stand.

"You should lie back down so I can change your bandages; it already looks like your bleeding again."

"It's your fault." I told him too much in pain to care if he took it the wrong way, which he did.

"That's not what you said last night." He said stopping me from lying down again and turning me to face his steely green eyes, and I thought they looked beautiful last night.

"Yes it is, you're the one who startled me and caused me to fall off the bed, you shouldn't just sit there in silence and watch people when they sleep." I said to correct myself, reluctantly so, since I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.

Athrun continued to change my bandages and let me change into 'travel wear' as he called it and pack up the belongings of importance to me since I would not be returning to this castle again.

I had never been too far out side of Orb and am curious to see Zaft; I heard it was a very beautiful landscape but the cities where poor and the slaved treated badly. The same thing was true about Orb so in reality I wasn't going on any adventure of exploration at all.

"Are you packed?" Athrun called from the door dressed in the same suit he wore the day he took this castle.

I turned to him, hoping my choice in clothes was appropriate for him. I only have ever traveled between small distances and when I did so, I worn a sort of warrior type dress with pants. This outfit began to upset my maids as I got older but since it didn't matter at the time, they never changed it.

Athrun didn't seem to care as I pulled my hair back into a pony tail. He walked up to my side and lifted the light bag I used to pack my belongings in. I wasn't going to need clothes in Zaft since Athrun's mother was going to set me up with a new wardrobe full of clothes fit for a Queen of Zaft so all I brought were a few pictures, some jewellery, a brush and some of my favourite books.

"Here," Athrun said taking my arm in his and walking out of the room. "I won't be riding in the carriage with you but I'll be outside the whole time, guarding it," We were walking towards the front door. "Don't worry, you'll be the only one in the carriage but I will also remind you to not try anything." He said in a voice I didn't like.

"I will try not to disappoint you husband." I said in a neutral tone.

"See that you don't." He said in an equally as neutral tone.

We were outside and I was in a carriage before I could even tell you what it looked like or how impressed or not I was with it, I was just in it and moving by the time I realised it was moving at all.

After a while I shifted over to the side of the carriage and opened up the window to look at the view outside since the inside view was as simulating as a bucket of water. I opened it to find the flank of a horse obstructing my view and looked up to find a very stunned looked man with green hair.

"Hello Princess, I'm sorry about yesterday." He said with a sheepish grin.

"That's alright, it wasn't your fault." I wasn't sure which part he was apologising for but it was nice to get a sorry out of this whole mess.

"Well, you're lucky Athrun saved you from his Father, Athrun really is a nice guy." This man reminded me of Athrun a little.

"Oh my name in Nicol by the way." He smiled.

"Nicol, what the hell are you doing?" Yzak yelled from behind the carriage.

"Nothing, just talking to myself." Nicol replied quickly and without humour.

"You had better be talking to yourself." Yzak said.

A tapping noise caught my attention and the other window opened from across the carriage.

"You are not to speak to anyone. And do not open the windows and reveal yourself to the thieves that could be lurking in this forest." Athrun said peering in.

I straightened up and both the windows were closed before I could close them myself.

"I hope we do get attacked by thieves." I mumbled to myself before I laid my head against the back of my seat and felt my back screamed from the constant jerking of the carriage.

!!

If someone would have told me in the beginning that during this trip I would be camping out for the night because it was so long, then I might have reconsider coming, marring the prince and being kidnapped.

Honestly the first hour was mind numbing and painful to my back but then to find out it was conveniently 3 days long was an entirely different matter. To make things worse I was not allowed to talk to anyone and no one was allowed to talk to me except for Athrun.

But Athrun had to inform me that he was trying to keep me safe by not bringing attention to me as I was the royal who would be the target for thieves and that he wasn't going to be talking to me unless he had to.

The camp was set up around my personal tent that looked the same as everyone else's and Athrun's tent was god knows where.

He did however, in our brief moment's together, change my bandages and even said good night before I was left alone to sleep.

However about an hour after Athrun left I was faced with a problem.

No matter how much I begged, I was not to be let outside of my tent for the remainder of the night but I had to go to the bathroom.

"But I have to go to the bathroom." I said embarrassed, it was not to be talked about when you are a woman but honestly, what did men think we did; hold it for our whole lives.

"It doesn't matter Princess, you are to stay where you are." He said paying attention to his surroundings rather than to me.

"But I've held it all throughout the carriage ride and cannot any longer." It was the honest truth though he didn't think so.

"You've tried this before; don't think we'll fall for it again." He said in the same whispered voices we had been using the whole him.

"I'm not playing anymore tricks, I've learned my lesson and I don't plan on disobeying my husband anymore now please, if you'd at least get Athrun and ask him if it's alright for me to." "no" I was denied again.

"Listen carefully," I said in a louder voice than the ones we were talking in. "If you don't get me my husband, I will scream so loud that every thief in this forest will know that the Princess is here and caring lots of treasure."

A light went on in the tent a couple rows from mine and a familiar figure came out. Athrun looked upset and I thought for a moment he was going to reach for his sword, making my back cringe in fear. He walked over to where the guard and I were arguing and pulled me away from the verbal argument.

"I'm sorry, it's just that" "That what? You're going to get me and my entire battalion killed because of your loud mouth." Athrun pulled me along deeper into the forest and stopped in front of a large tree.

"I'm sorry." I said again looking at the ground in shame.

Athrun looked down at me and was trying to say something before he stopped and changed his expression from sad to dutiful.

"You can use this large tree, go behind it and I'll wait till you're done." The tree looked big enough and I don't think he's the type to spy. "But don't try and run again." He added as I took a step in the direction of the tree.

"I won't." I told him but when I was behind the tree I added. "Thank you for being understanding." I wasn't sure if it came out right but I was trying to say that I appreciate the fact that he's trying to be nicer to me.

Little did I realise, as I was finishing up and about to walk back around the tree, I would be greeted by a dark figure. I felt a sharp pain in my neck as I saw Athrun's stunned and angered face fade away into darkness.

**Well I think I have a general progression of how this story's going to turn out and I'm excited to be writing it. I hope you find it exciting too and I thank all those who commented, you really brighten up my day. SOOO if you'd like to comment again I'd be ecstatic to hear from you, so please feel free to do so!**

**evilace**


	5. Chapter 5

The sour far thing Part 5

Disclamer: I only own a few of my made up characters even though I don't technically own them cause their actually the names of my friends.

This chapter is all in Cagalli's point of view.

* * *

"Where is it then?" I heard from the darkness.

"We told you already." A loud thud followed by a body being thrown a short distance across the floor.

"You Zaft scum are all the same but eventually I will get the truth." More sounds made their way to my ringing ears and my eyes wouldn't open no matter how much I did or did not want to see the events taking place a short distance from where I lie.

"There is no treasure, listen the first time." Finally a voice I recognised. Yzak. I could also tell he was very close to where I was and that the guy thrown across the floor wasn't him.

"Heh, who is your leader" He yelled and my ringing ears started to drown out even more of the conversation as I realised more and more and began to come to. I let out a low morn and my throbbing brain shot electric sharks across its surface.

"I think they're telling the truth Father." A young man said.

"It matters not I guess." My blurry eyes Crept open ever so slightly as I looked at what appeared to be a slightly round gypsy man from across a raging bon fire. I realized that half of the noise in my head was the crackling of burning wood in the fire.

I couldn't really make out too much but I knew we were out in the open and form what I could tell, we were surrounded by a couple dozen gypsy men. My eyes cleared a bit more and a couple men bound and on their knees came into view. Yzak, Nicol and Dearka were amongst them and they were all covered in a certain degree of blood, aside from their bruised faces and bloodied lips, I figures they didn't look hurt enough for the blood to have been theirs. There must have been a battle; most of the men I had seen travelling with us where not there. They must have been killed.

"Father, she`s waking up. " The young man who talked earlier said as my eyes weakly focused on him.

"Touch her and I`ll... " A loud grunt pounded in my ear as I looked over to the man that had been thrown across the ground. His blue hair had clumps of blood and dirt where a seriously looking bruise was forming on the edge of his hair line.

"Father, I do believe she could be the one. " The young man`s voice came closer to my ear as I felt my upper body being twisted and cradled in some stranger`s arms. My head all but flopped against his chest as his hand re-adjusted my head so he could look at my face.

"Let me get a look at her. " I heard the round man`s voice come from around the fire and crouch in front of me blocking the light coming from the fire.

"nhm. " I mumbled as I tried to force my body to struggle out of the hold I was in, I didn't like being touched by strangle people and now in a dark surrounding.

"Keep her still Ahmed. " The older man instructed as I was turned and light was shown on my face.

"My son I do believe you know how to pick them. " The man said in a proud smile. "My son always has to pick the most beautiful women in the world. "

My head has then placed back on the man I suddenly wanted to be a thousand miles from.

"I guess we got at least one treasure out of this raid. " Ahmed said before his lips came down and kissed the top of my head.

The last part of this sentence was almost lost to my ears as I looked over to where Athrun and the rest of the men started to yell and struggle with a new found vigour and my vision started to blur.

The last thing I saw before I passed out were his deep green eyes.

* * *

"Welcome to the brand new day." Ahmed said as I looked at him from across the room.

I was lying down on a bed and where I believed to have been lying in a trailer, a gypsy`s trailer.

I shot up in defence.

"Stay away from me." I said backing into the wooden wall, the covers pooled at my feet.

"I`ve been waiting to ask you something ever since last night." He said getting up from his chair and approaches me. I wasn't tied up which is something he`d regret.

"Now, now," he said as he grabbed the hand I was using to punch him with and smack me across the face without any reserve. "Don't make me regret not tying you up." He said sitting on the bed stroking my hair.

"I don't like hitting women but if you make me look like a fool, I won't hesitate to put you in your place." He almost sounds like Athrun I thought but quickly took it from my head, Athrun was different than him.

"What do you want" I said looking at him from the corner of my eye. His face held the same shape as the night Athrun was kissing my neck and forcing me against the wall, our wedding night.

"I wanted to know your name." His face softened a bit and he grinned at me.

"I`m not going to tell you it, I never will." I told him and pulled my legs into my body, hiding my face from him.

"One of the men last night called you Cagalli, I just wanted you to tell me yourself." he said forcing me out of my shell and to look at him.

"My name is Ahmed, you had best remember that, you are now my property. " I wrenched my arm from his grasp and stumbled to get away from him.

He caught me around the waist and threw me back on the bed as I let out a scream.

"Your life is now mine and you will do as I say including becoming my wife. " His face calmed down before he sat on the chair he had originally been sitting on when I first woke up.

"Cagalli, my love I am sorry, I don't mean to act this way. "He said looking at me.

"You are very beautiful and I will be marrying you," he sighed and moved the chair a little closer though there wasn't much space between us to begin with. "I`m a little possessive and I get mad when my things don't obey me."

"Why should I ever listen to you or any other man for that matter, you`ve shown he little reason to listen to anyone, most of all you." Ahmed tensed his fists but relaxed them quickly.

"Where are the men I was travelling with, tell me now." I said with tears brimming around my eyes.

"You`ve very hard to resist with that expression on your face but I decided that I`m not telling you anything till you start showing me respect." And with that he got up and walked to the door.

"I`ll send one of my sisters in later to give you a bath and a change of clothes." He said before the door was closed and a lock clicked into place.

I closed my eyes and covered my head with the blanket before letting the tear flow out.

* * *

Well after the tears ran dry I was still lying in the gypsy trailer wondering why the hell anyone would want to marry me in the first place. My father had always talked about how I would be married off as soon as possible, Athrun ended up actually marrying me and now this gypsy wants to marry me.

None of these men actually know me and what I'm like. Am I that pretty? I guess they figure they can all rid me of any bad habits I have, though looking back I guess they've all tried.

My life's progress so far has been a living hell, to a captured living hell, to the life of a captured, property of a stranger living hell.

"I almost miss Athrun." I mumbled into the pillow. At least he tried to be nice to me and the only time he corrected me was actually under his father's wishes.

I got up and kneeled on the bed to look out the window. The gypsies had made a little camp in the middle of a field that was surrounded by a dense forest.

I sat back down and brought my knees up to my chin and started to ponder.

They don't seem to have that much security. Maybe some scouts here and there but really all they have is numbers. My concern with Athrun's group was that they had skill, paired with the fact that they knew I was slippery and would try to get away any chance I would get.

These gypsies seemed a bit more lax and had yet to experience my eluding skills. I closed my eyes and focused on feeling my back. It seemed to be healing pretty well which is defiantly a plus. It could use a few more days of healing before it took a lashing of tree branches as I ran as fast as I can through thick forest.

Ahmed did say that his sisters would come in later and that they would assist me, maybe I could get some answers out of them, like when the wedding was and gain some trust. I would also ask them about the marriage rituals gypsies have. I don't want to spend nights with the man and have him attack me as Athrun did on our wedding night.

The thought of Athrun disturbed my plans for a minute as I realised he wasn't that bad. Athrun attacking me wasn't really what happened I don't think he meant for it to hurt me. His green eyes stared into mine as I remember the look he gave me the night I last saw him.

I'm very bad at putting these expressions together with feelings but I think he was concerned for me. I hope he's alright. I'd have to ask Ahmed's sisters if they know anything or may be try and 'change my attitude' towards Ahmed. First I'll talk to his sisters and then go from there I decided as I lay my head down and stare at the door, waiting for my chance to arise.

"HAHA and then he kissed me and I didn't stop him."

"No way and I thought Cora was bad." I heard a bunch of laughter from outside the trailer as two girls approached the trailer. I sat at the edge of the bed and looked towards the door.

"I can't believe Ahmed though, can you?" One girl opened the door.

"She must be something." The girl said following her inside.

When they both got inside they stared at me both in silence and aw. I felt a little exposed to them as they just stared at me. It did how ever give me a chance to evaluate them. They resembled Ahmed a bit.

"WOW they weren't kidding." The older looking one approached me and bent down on the floor to face me directly.

"Look at her hair, I wish mine was that soft and long. Not to mention the colour of gold." The younger one sat beside her.

"I'm sorry Cagalli, we must sound so rude, but we can't help it, we've never seen someone who looks as beautiful as you." She said reaching up to touch my face.

"Am I allowed to ask you questions?" I asked them, playing a little shy.

"Of course. You can ask use almost anything but let's start by getting you washed."

"Lindy, Let's go to the river, I know Ahmed said she might try and run but look at her. I think he's full of it." She looked at me again.

"Leafy, I was never planning on anywhere else but the river. She's gonna get married in a couple of days and needs a long soak. Let's grab some clothes from Cora's trailer before we go, Cagalli's going to want to look pretty for the fire dance tonight."

"What's a fire dance?" I asked a little bit more friendly.

"You'll see." She said smiling at me.

"Will Ahmed be there?" I asked looking away as if to hide a blush. I might as well act like I plan on staying or I might get watched a little closer and more doors might be locked.

"Well or course he will, he wouldn't miss an opportunity." She smiled even more at me.

"Let's get going if we want to do Cagalli's hair." And with that I was linked on the arm of Lindy and was lead through the door toward the river.

* * *

"I don't think so." Ahmed said blocking us from the trees ahead.

"Don't be such a child. Now move." Lindy walked past him with me in tow, this is where linked arms can be good and bad at the same time.

"Listen Ahmed, Cagalli seems to be nicer then you let on and more eager to impress you then you think so stop acting like your 5 years old."Leafy swung the basket filled with soaps and shampoos of all sort over her shoulder and followed us.

The path down to the river was a little tricky but when we got there it was well worth it. When they said river they failed to mention that it was an oasis with a water fall and everything. Not only that, but the water was warm. It was deep the middle where in turned a dark and clear tortoise around the deep area. Smooth rocks jutted out around the swallow parts and other girls were lounging on some, and bathing on others.

"This place is beautiful." I whispered to Lindy as she led us behind the water fall and away from wondering eyes.

"I know we come here once a year and I wish we'd stay sometimes, I guess the elders feel it's a little too close to Zaft for a longer stay." I sat in the water and began to wash my arms.

"Lindy, I'm going to go play and swim with Nicole and Jackie, can you and Cagalli bath without me?" It was evident in her appearance that she had already jumped in the water and was going to go play with or without Lindy's permission.

"Oh just go, Leafy." Lindy smiled as her sister disappeared again.

"So Cagalli, why where you travelling with those men, are you form Zaft?" She seemed eager to know things just as much as I was.

"If I answer some of your questions will you answer some of mine?" I began washing my feet.

"Yes, yes." She replied.

"First of all I'm not with Zaft and those men had captured me a while back." I wanted to build a little truth between us since I found myself liking her.

"Captured, that's dreadful...and extremely romantic." She seemed delusional; I bet she's never stripped of freedom. "I think one of them must love you, he keeps calling for you."

"What?" I asked.

"Oh, well...guess it doesn't matter that you know. We still have a few of the men you where travelling with, they're just in case we get attacked, we can use then as bargaining chips." Lindy sheepishly ginned.

"That seems kind of low." I told her truthfully.

"I know." Lindy's face was serious for a second before she went to work on my hair.

"So what does that Zaft soldier say about me?" I asked hoping she'd become more like her old self.

"Oh, I only hear a little bit when I pass by the tent but it sound like he's worried about you and then he says that he'll kill my brother if he lays one finger on you." I dunked my head under the water before I came up to another question to build more of a trust between us.

"Do you think Ahmed likes me only for my looks?" I began to work conditioning oils through my hair.

"Oh you're so cute when you're unsure of yourself, If he likes you only for your looks, he's gonna love you when you start to open up to him." I looked down at a rock in the water.

"He said I was his property, why would he say something like that, why do all men say that to me?" This is a question I'd like a second opinion on other than my own.

"He said that! He's just unsure. He must really like you to say that. Maybe since he thinks you're so unattainable, he wants to make sure to lock you up before you fly away little birdie." I got out and dried off quickly before changing into the clothes Leafy and Lindy selected for me.

The dress was very pretty and I looked like a gypsy by the time I was done. Lindy did my hair in a pretty style before it had a chance to dry; assuring me it was going to be curly when I let it down.

* * *

"Would it at all be possible for me to see the men I was travelling with?" I asked boldly while we walked back to the trailers.

"Cagalli...I don't think that's a good idea. Why would you want to see them again, I saw your back, I know they did that to you."

"I know Lindy, I just... I don't know." Another chance to gain trust. "Oh please don't tell Ahmed I said that, he might not trust me if he finds out. I don't want him to think badly of me."

Leafy and Lindy smiled at me before then assured me they wouldn't say a word.

The rest of the walk was enjoyable but I found the closer we got the camp, the more my chest hurt and my rib cage began to squeeze my inner organs as to say you're going back into your cage little birdie.

I looked over the camp for any tents that would hold the Zaft soldier and Athrun but it became clear to me that if I helped them escape, then I'd be back in their hands but if I stayed here I would at least have Lindy and Leafy as my friends. Ahmed would be my master but at least he's let me be on a longer leash. Athrun had a shorter leash for me but when I was truly alone with him, I felt different towards him.

"Cagalli?" I looked up to the masculine voice that called me and took a slightly surprised stumble back.

"You're blushing, what were you thinking about?" I looked down to the grown and wiped Athrun from my mind before changing the topic.

"Aren't the bride and groom supposed to not see each other before the wedding?" I asked trying to find out details of the wedding I didn't want to happen.

"Eager aren't we, what changed your mind about me, not that I'm complaining really." I looked up at him.

"Don't change the subject, please, I'd like to know." He was looking at me and I realised I don't like the way he stands over me or the way he looks at me.

"Of course we can see each other before the wedding. I mean you're sleeping in my trailer tonight." He grinned at me.

"In my town we have traditions; I would like to stay with Lindy and Leafy before your wedding night. It would mean so much to me if some of family's traditions are held." If I was going to stand my ground it was gonna be in front of people and where hitting me would make him look foolish as well.

"I don't like that tradition." He began.

"Then if you expect to escort me to this fire dance tonight then I hope you'd respect my wishes."

"CAGALLI ...*grunt*" My eyes whipped to the side as my vision blurred with tears. A man with blue hair was slumped over as another man forced him to stand and follow the other men, which I recognised to be Yzak, Nicol and Dearka into a tent beside the other edge of the forest.

Athrun looked extremely worried and quite bruised, more than the others at least.

"Who is that man to you Cagalli? Tell me know." Ahmed was even closer to me know looking into my eyes with much anger in his.

"TELL ME." He shook me before I was taken from his arms by Lindy.

"What do you think you're doing Ahmed? Those men hurt Cagalli and you're not acting any better towards her then they were." Ahmed took a step towards Lindy and Lindy looked a bit frightened. So, even she was afraid of her older brother.

"It doesn't matter anyways; we're killing them tonight during the dance fire." Ahmed's Father appeared from the direction Athrun and his men were taken in.

"But Father," Lindy started but was silenced by one look from her father.

"I know you know nothing of my relations to those men," I said pointing towards the tent Athrun was in, "but I was captured by them." I walked so I was closer to the leader of the gypsies then the two I was standing with.

"If I may sir, I would like to talk to them before they die." I looked up to him with unshed tears in my angered eyes.

"I would like some peace of mind before I start my new life with my soon to be husband." My eyes softened before I lowered them to the ground again.

"I guess the very least that man will shut up if he sees you." The gypsy thought looking towards the sky.

"I'll grant you some time with them my daughter but it will be the last time."

Yes. It will defiantly be the last time I though as I was escorted toward the tent my husband was currently being held in.

* * *

Sorry about not updating for a while. Please review and give me suggestions if you want to.

Evilace


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

The sour far thing Part 6

Disclaimer: Not mine...all rights reserved blah blah.

Cagalli's POV

"Let him go, please don't do this" I begged.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't, and why would you ever want to defend him?" He was beyond reasoning with and I was surprised he even stopped to consider my words. I suppose he had no choice since I had grabbed his arm that was holding the gypsy by his bloodied collar.

"Just don't, please Athrun, call them off and pretend it never happened." I said in a broken down voice.

"He deserves no mercy." His steely cold eyes locked onto mine and my grip on his arm became more desperate as Ahmed's body remanded at the end of Athrun's knife.

* * *

Flash back....

Just a few hours after talking to Ahmed's father, the leader of the Gypsy group, I felt another type of helplessness that I had felt before only played out in a different story. They attacked.

The forest was ablaze on one side of the clearing as well as most of the gypsy's trailers and wagons. Many of the faces I had seen earlier that day were now riddled with fear and distress as they tried to evade Zaft soldiers.

Just as I was to go see Athrun and the others during the fire dance a scout reported strange activity in the forest and the evening was brought to an abrupt halt and so were my plans to see Athrun. I was told that it was postponed till tomorrow and that I'd have an opportunity to make my peace tomorrow but I don't see that happening now.

Bodies were lying face down on the floor and blood soaked there corpses and pooled around them. I had wakened from my assigned bed where a guard was placed to ensure I didn't escape when I at first heard the screams and the sounds I heard just days before when the castle I had lived at was attacked.

I stumbled around the site for what seemed like an hour looking at the faces of the dead and memorizing in silent horror all there expressions but I couldn't have been more than a few minutes because I found myself standing outside the tent I had been told Athrun was in.

I was to see him the next day and had been fretting about it until moments before I had finally succumbed to exhaustion.

Why I found my way to the tent Athrun was in is beyond me.

"Cagalli..." Athrun?

"Cagalli, come with me." Ahmed came up to me with a blood soaked sword in hand.

"I....I..." I what? What is it that I was going to do?

Ahmed reached out and began to drag me towards the edge of the woods that wasn't on fire. I didn't really want to go with Ahmed; he was cruel, abusive and became jealous easily. Athrun was well, not Ahmed.

Why did I even have to pick between them, I should just run in the direction that's in no way connected to the position Athrun or Ahmed are in.

The blazing forest just happens to be in that direction but that's not the point.

The darkness of the forest consumed me and Ahmed as we made our way to its safer depths.

"Stop, Ahmed where are we going? What's happened to your sisters?" I asked.

"I don't know we just have to get to safety." He said a little quieter than I was talking.

"They'll follow us you know." I should tell him, though I don't know why I feel the need to let him in on any of my secrets. I'm sure he knows he's probably lost most of his family members and is feeling alone right now and he should save himself and go back to try and save his sisters instead of me.

"They might not." He said looking back at me and stopping mid explanation.

I followed his gaze and saw the figure in the shadows. The moon and stars provided just enough light in the little opening we found our self in the middle of the forest.

A dishevelled looking Athrun made his way into the opening and Ahmed moved my body behind him so as to shield me.

"Release Cagalli at once." Athrun commanded in a voice that matched his cold gaze.

"Never." Ahmed said though I knew this wasn't going to end in Ahmed's favour and I think he did too.

They charged and after a couple moves Ahmed was on the ground and his neck was being held in Athrun's death grip with a sharp edge grazing its flesh.

* * *

My hands holding Athrun's arms were the only thing keeping Ahmed alive.

"They deserve no mercy." His steely cold eyes locked onto mine.

"I know what they did to you was wrong but you've done things that were wrong too." My voice sounded desperate and I'm sure my faced looked like I was seconds away from crying. "Please let him go. He's probably already lost his family tonight, let's just leave him be."

"I can't, I'm too angry right now and if I don't take revenge on him, I might take it out on you." His breathing became tormented with angry.

"Tell me boy, "Athrun shook Ahmed by his collar and I realized how weak I was and how little effect I was having holding him back. "Did you touch my wife?"

"Your wife? She never said..." Athrun didn't even care enough to listen to the rest as he through Ahmed to the ground he quickly stabbed his knife into his upper right hand shoulder, just enough to cause Ahmed some pain.

Athrun turned quickly and closed the few steps between us. He took his now bloodied knife and held it to my throat.

"Tell me wife, what did he do to you? Do you love him now; want to run away with him?" I didn't move. "ANSWER ME."

"Athrun!" Nicol came crashing through the forest and more sounds followed and turned into Yzak and Dearka as well as more soldiers I didn't know.

I turned my eyes back to Athrun and his breathing became steadier as he dropped his knife and walked me over to Nicol and the others.

He then turned to look back at Ahmed who was clutching his shoulder in pain. He leaned down and whispered something to Nicol before I was then dragged back the way we came.

We ended up on a gravel road and in a wagon that was heavily guarded. It seems that Zaft had more troops in the area then the gypsies had predicted.

As the carriage started to move, Athrun turned on a lantern and closed the wooden shutters on the windows so as no one would see us.

I could see his hands trembling in anger as his face moved between expressions.

"Did you order to have Ahmed killed?" I asked because I had been thinking about it ever since we left the opening in the forest.

"Yes." He answered looking me directly in the eyes.

"He didn't do anything to me; you just killed an innocent man." I said my voice rising in desperation with each word. I had thought Athrun was different. I have never been so let down in my life.

Tears soaked my hands as they clutched the fabric of my dress and without seeing it coming I felt the slap across my cheek.

"It doesn't matter what he did or didn't do...you've been alone with him or at least that's what my Father will hear when this reaches his ears." He said.

"I'm sorry." I had no choice and yet I'm still so sorry.

"You will be sorry." He said looking out the window with an unreadable expression on him face. All I could so as I silently cry into my open palms as we silently made our way to the castle.

* * *

We still had two days of travelling and I had fallen asleep in our carriage.

When I had woken up Athrun was still seated across from me and was watching me with an unreadable expression. My back was healing up nicely but the black and blue marks still held my muscles in a sore restrictive way.

My hand also made its way to my cheek and I hissed in pain. It was a little swollen and that's just by feel.

Athrun stayed his distance but his expression softened a little.

"I was worried about you the whole time." Ahmed's sisters had told me that but hearing it from Athrun is entirely different.

He looked a little rough now that the day light was shining through the windows.

"Are you ok?" I asked. 'I've been worried about you too though I hate admitting it to even myself' I thought in my head but my expression on the outside matched the emotion somewhat.

"I feel horrible." He said still looking at me.

"You should call for a doctor than."

"No I'm just feeling worst than the injuries, I just need to rest." He rested his head against the side of the carriage but his eyes were still open and looking at me.

"Why don't you sleep, lay your head on the cushions and" "no I'm find the way I am" He interrupted me and I could tell he hadn't slept while I was sleeping and wasn't going to sleep while I was awake.

I rested my head again but kept my stair with Athrun daring him to close his eyes first. It seemed like a good idea to do this but of course it back fired somewhat and I began to feel my eyes close more often than I would have liked them to.

I realized I fell asleep when I jointed away and Athrun had moved from where he was sitting. He was upright again and still looking at me.

"What time is it?" I asked feeling like I slept a while.

"It not too late, we should be stopping for lunch shortly." He finally broke eye contact and looked out the window that was opened.

I followed his gaze to the grasslands and mountains in the distance which was a far cry from the gypsies forest I remembered last when I fell asleep.

"What is your brother like?" He asked as my vision came back to his face.

"Why are you asking me this?" It seemed odd.

"You were talking in your sleep and you told Kira to lift you up onto a window sill." This topic of conversation was weird for us. It was too normal.

"I talk in my sleep?" I had never heard that before.

"Yes you do...are you going to answer my question?" He seemed interested and it was better than him being angry.

"He's very nice to me, we used to play together but I rarely see him." I told him which sounds like I'm withholding information when I'm really not; there is just nothing to add.

"I see." He said very shortly and I felt sad that the conversation was coming to an end.

"I've seen Kira a couple times too." Athrun mentioned and I was glad he did.

"Really, where?"

"In battles." I winced inside and slightly on the outside

"I didn't actually fight him thought, if that's what your worried about." He added after I flinched.

I started to fiddle with my dress before I asked my next question hoping that the answer would sooth me in some way.

"Have you killed a lot of people?" The air became thinker.

"Yes." He said shortly.

"Why?" I countered.

"I kill because I have to." Did the sun just go behind a cloud?

"You don't have to kill...you didn't have to kill that Gypsy." I was said quietly but he was supposed to hear it and even though I didn't like Ahmed all too much, he still didn't deserve to die.

"I.." Athrun began to say but the carriage came to a stop and lunch break was announced so I decided it was time for me to go to the bathroom and leave the heavy air behind.

"Wait, where are you going?" He said as I stood up and went for the door.

"I'm hungry." I said but his foot extended and stopped me from exiting.

"They will bring food for us." He didn't move his foot.

"I need some air."

"The windows are open." His foot still stayed planted.

"I have to go to the bathroom." I finally said.

"I don't believe you." He said as he stood.

"And you never will believe me will you." I told him looking up into his eyes.

"I had begun to believe you before..." And finally be broke eye contact with me first.

"I haven't done anything with the Gypsies to make you not believe me and I was captured by them too, they didn't let me out of their sights either." I said try to find something for him to believe.

"They hit me too. They were even going to force me to do things I didn't want to do. In a way I guess they're just like you." I wasn't angry at him; my angry was pathetic to him as well as my tears.

"I'm going to step outside...I need some space." I said before I walked through the door and past Nicol, Yzak and Dearka. I didn't go far, just far enough that I couldn't hear them talk or so they couldn't hear me breath.

* * *

"Are you cold?" Athrun asked me, breaking the unbearable silence that sat between us since earlier that day. It was night fall and for the sake of time it was decided that we travel throughout the night.

"Yes I am." I said wondering how long this civil conversation was going to last.

He took off his top coat and passed it over to me. I slipped my arms in it right away cause I had been freezing since the sun when down.

"Why don't you try and sleep again?" He asked me.

"I'm not tired, I slept most of the day remember?" It was hard to see him in the dark but I could make out most of his features.

"You didn't sleep very well today; it looked like you where having nightmares." Athrun said.

"Did I say anything else while I was sleeping?" I can't believe I talk in my sleep, it's so embarrassing.

"It doesn't matter...you should still try and sleep." Athrun wasn't making any progress with me.

"NO." I told him and looked away, out the window.

There was another moment of silence that eventually made me nervous as the time passed on.

"Sleep, don't sleep, do what you want. Why do you have to fight me? Why are you going out of your way to get me angry?" When he spoke I came to the realization that his head was hung and he roughly dragged his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"I'm not trying to make you angry. You just get mad at me too easily."

Athrun got up off the carriage bench and crossed the two steps it took to get to me. Surprisingly, even thought the carriage was on the move he looked like he was walking and balancing on solid ground. He then kneeled before me and gently held both of my hands in his own.

I scooted back in my seat a bit and straighten my back in surprise. He hadn't done something that gentle since he carefully bandaged my back the night of our wedding.

"I don't know what to say to you." He told me as he looked into my eyes since he was level with my sitting body. He softly flipped over my hands and kissed both the inside of my palms before he held them clasped together in my lap.

His hands were warming my hands but my face was burning.

He let my hands go and took a seat beside me. The whole awkward silence throughout the whole trip had nothing on this moment. There was a small space between us but what does that matter, I mean I was sleeping right beside him on our wedding night and he did kiss my neck...but that doesn't count since I had a fever and everything and wasn't thinking straight.

"Do you want me to sit back in my original seat?" What's up with all the questions?

"I'm just a little uncomfortable with someone who threatened to kill me earlier this day." I didn't forget the knife he held in his hand.

He turned towards me more and looked at me with his serious green eyes. 'The eyes of a killer.'

"No matter what, I will never kill you. I can't and won't." He looked away after saying it.

"What does that mean?" I asked leaning in more towards him, noticing how much closer we've become.

He looked up from his hooded gaze and closed the gap between us.

His lips where gentle and grazed my bottom lip with such tenderness I was in shock. His mouth wasn't demanding and he wasn't pushing me any further then a sweet kiss. His hands didn't even move while he kissed me with his eyes closed.

I didn't know what to do, I had never been kissed before so I closed my eyes too so I didn't look so uncomfortable.

I don't know how he knew I had finally closed my eyes, maybe he was peeking but as soon as I did he started to take the kiss a little bit further. He moved his hands slowly to caress my face and move my head to an angle where he affectionately kissed me a little deeper.

I could feel his tongue lightly roll across the opening of my mouth. It wasn't sticky or sloppy it was warm and a little over whelming. I didn't know what to do.

I just held my lips loosely and waited for what he was going to do next.

He stopped kissing me and pulled away. I blinked a couple times at the small smile on his face and averted my eyes to my hands that were clutching my dress.

"That was the first time you've responded well to my touch." His mouth curved even more at the sides.

"That's the first time you weren't demanding of me." I told him.

"I'm not always demanding." He said.

I rubbed my cheek from where he had slapped me earlier. "Yes sometimes you're cruel."

And that was the end of that.

* * *

By the mid-morning I could see the castle coming into view. It was magnificent, sitting atop a high mountain in the distance; I doubted the horses would be able to make it up.

"We have to get out now." Athrun told me holding his hand out towards me. "If we go any further in this carriage we'll be plastered again the back wall."

I took his hand which felt warm and that made me remember the night before. It had been my first kiss and it was by my husband, the enemy, and a killer.

I stepped out first and Athrun followed, not letting go of my hand.

A soldier came up and gave Athrun a horse. He picked me up onto the horse which I was trying to resist because I wanted to tell him how little horseback riding I had done but he just picked him up without any shown effort. It was a little prospective of how much stronger he was then I.

It was even more apparent when I was seated in front of him and his lean muscular body was crowded up behind me. I scooted a little bit forward.

"Is your back in any pain?" He asked assuming that that was the reason for my moving.

"Yes my back." I lied.

It didn't really matter because the grade of the mountain made it impossible for my back to not be pressed into his.

This whole trip has been nothing but uncomfortable.

After about three minutes Athrun started to look more uncomfortable than me, more uncomfortable than I've ever seen him.

"Cagalli, do you mind sitting behind me, I can't see very well." I was a head shorter than him so I knew it was a lie but if I sat in the back I wouldn't be so up and close to the person 'my husband' that I had kissed last night. My lips where still tingling.

In a way I didn't know was possible, Athrun had me by the arm and swung me behind him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and held on for dear life when I realised that I might fall off.

Athrun took some deep breaths and after a while the flush he previously had on his cheek was beginning to dissipate.

"Are you feeling better Athrun?" I asked, maybe he had a fever or pulled something while lifting me up and that's why he was acting so weird.

"Why, why would I be anything but fine?" He asked the flush returning to his face while he straightened his back looking proud and like he wasn't flushing.

"I just thought you looked in pain, you weren't breathing regularly and your face looks red. Do you have a fever?" He turned his head and looked at me as seriously as he could with his flushed face.

"I'm just tired that's all." He looked ahead for the rest of the way and I said nothing more.

'When he didn't sleep any that I know of.' I thought but soon turned my attention to the castle approaching quickly and the prospect of meeting Athrun's mother.

* * *

I can't say how sorry I am that I haven't updated in forever. I could list the response but no one cares about my problems and I don't care about them right now either. Reviewing this fic will make me update faster by the way^^

~evilace


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